MIDDLETOWN >> A West Haven man charged with kicking his girlfiend's dog to death allegedly has a history of injuring the animal, according to police.

Lynx Tribuce, 35, 157 Bull Hill Lane, is charged with one count of cruelty to animals. He was scheduled to appear in Middlesex Superior Court on Tuesday. He retained attorney Richard Silverstein, who got the case continued until Nov. 13. Tribuce has been released on $20,000 bail.

A veterinarian report said the chihuahau died from traumatic brain injury.

According to the report filed with the court by Cromwell Animal Control Officer Cheryl Gagnon, Tribuce was at his girlfriend's home in Cromwell and the girlfriend had left to go to work around 7:45 a.m. on Aug. 31.

Once she got to work the girlfriend got a call from Tribuce saying the dog had been barking at him, so he kicked it. Tribuce told his girlfriend the dog was not moving and he thought it was dead. The girlfriend went home immediately, and found that Tribuce had left and the dog was lying in a dog bed not moving.

When police asked the girlfriend if Tribuce had hurt the dog before, the girlfriend allegedly admitted he had kicked the dog before. The girlfriend told police she had taken the dog to the Rocky Hill Veterinary Hospital for treatment from injuries caused by Tribuce "several times" in the year and a half the two have been dating.

According to veterinary records, the dog was treated twice in 2011, once for a rear leg injury and once for head trauma and seizures. The veterinarian noted in a report that "the dog was kicked or was hit by someone."

On Aug. 31, police talked to Tribuce by phone about what the girlfriend told officers. Tribuce allegedly admitted the same details. Police reported Tribuce never denied kicking or killing the dog, and agreed to talk to officers, who told him he was going to be charged with cruelty to animals, but he never showed up. Tribuce later told police he was going to contact a lawyer.

On Sept. 4, Tribuce allegedly called the police and said the incident was an accident and he was in shock the day of the incident. Tribuce allegedly said he left the girlfriend's home because he was "so upset." Tribuce allegedly told police he had talked to his lawyer and would not be coming in to the police station.

On Sept. 12, police receiving the medical report from the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory. The findings indicated that "there were areas of minor hemorrhage" on the right side of the dog's head. The finding reported a "traumatic brain injury caused by physical impact" along with several of the dog's organs going into shock. The cause of death was determined to be trauma with systemic shock.